Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United and founder of Ineos, has drawn sharp criticism after claiming in a Sky News interview that the “UK has been colonised by immigrants.”

He argued that politicians must take “difficult” decisions to fix the country, stating that the UK cannot sustain “nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” and adding that immigration is “costing too much money.”

Ratcliffe also cited an inaccurate figure that the UK population has increased by 12 million since 2020.

His remarks immediately ignited political and sporting backlash.

Kick It Out, English football’s leading anti-discrimination organization, condemned the comments as “disgraceful and deeply divisive,” stressing that such rhetoric has no place in a sport built on diversity and inclusion.

This was noted, particularly as a club like Manchester United with a global and multicultural fan base.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the remarks as “offensive and wrong,” calling for an apology and reaffirming that Britain is “a proud, tolerant and diverse country.”

In the same interview, Ratcliffe praised Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as intelligent and well-intentioned, while suggesting that Starmer may be “too nice” for leadership.

Ratcliffe’s endorsement of tough, unpopular measures mirrors his approach at Manchester United since Ineos acquired a minority stake in late 2023 and assumed control of football operations.

His tenure has been marked by controversial ticketing decisions, structural changes, and managerial upheaval, including the reported dismissals of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.

These moves prompted fan protests against the club’s ownership, including Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.

Despite acknowledging that such decisions have made him “very unpopular for a while,” Ratcliffe maintains they were necessary for long-term improvement and claims there are early signs that the strategy is beginning to yield results.